The inside story of the Patriots’ fall to rock bottom in the Bill Belichick era

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More Internal Frustration Comes to Light During Disappointing Patriots 2023 Season
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Following the 2022 season, the Boston Herald provided some insight as it pertained to the problems going on inside the walls of Gillette Stadium after New England's 8-9 finish.

With the Patriots currently sitting at 4-12 heading into this weekend, the Herald didn't wait until after the season to provide a window into what's gone on so far in 2023.

The post More Internal Frustration Comes to Light During Disappointing Patriots 2023 Season appeared first on PatsFans.com.

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[upstater1]

You are absolutely correct, the interior offensive line was in dire need of attention.

I just feel that there should have also some attention to offensive tackle. It doesn't have to be an either/or proposition.

I had not thought or researched what tackles were available to the Patriots over that time frame, but here is what I have found from a brief search. While no All-Pros jump out from the list, there are several solid starters. To be fair there are many JAGs as well - as would be expected when you get deeper in the draft.

Another thing I noticed was that there were many players drafted as tackles who became solid starters at guard. Maybe there shoul be a bit more consideration to that idea; it worked out well with Logan Mankins.


2022: from time Pats had a pick, through 5th round
2.57 - Bucs - Luke Goedeke (started at G in 2022, OT in 2023)
3.69 - Tenn - Nicholas Petit-Frere (starting LT in 2022; now on IR)
3.72 - Seattle - Abe Lucas (started at RT in 2022, most of 2023 on IR)
3.77 - Colts - Bernard Rainham (starting LT since mid-2022)
4.110 - Balt - Daniel Faalele (backup both seasons)
4.111 - Jets - Max Mitchell (has been kicked inside to guard)
4.136 - Cincy - Cordell Volson (moved to LG; 32 starts)
4.140 - GB - Zach Tom (starting RT)
5.145 - KC - Darian Kinnard (demoted to practice squad)
5.155 - Dallas - Matt Waletzko (has been on IR; was backup in 2022)
5.168 - Bears - Braxton Jones (All-Rookie LT in 2022; injured in 2023)

2021: from 2nd round through 5th, as Pats needed to replace Cam Newton at QB in 1st
2.45 - Jax - Walker Little (6 starts as swing tackle 2021-2022; 11 starts in 2023)
3.93 - Bills - Spencer Brown (3-year starter at RT)
4.110 - Browns - James Hudson (13 starts as backup LT/swing tackle)
4.128 - Pittsburgh - Dan Moore (3-year starter at LT)
4.139 - Cincy - D'Ante Smith (swing/backup tackle)
5.151 - Bears - Larry Borom (23 starts as swing/backup OT)
5.155 - 49ers - Jaylon Moore (7 starts as backup LT/swing tackle)
5.161 - Bills - Tommy Doyle (11 games as a rookie, but on IR in 2022 & 2023)

2020: from 2nd round through 5th (Pats traded down from 1st round)
3.96 - KC - Lucas Niang (starting RT as rookie; now a backup)
3.99 - NYG - Matt Peart (6 starts in 1st two seasons, but too many injuries since)
3.106 - Bal - Tyre Phillips (27 starts, mostly at RT; now on IR)
4.126 - Hou - Charlie Heck (starting RT in 2021; backup/swing since)
5.153 - SF - Colton McKivitz (starting RT after 3 seasons as backup)

2019: from 2nd round through 5th (Pats took N'Keaal Harry at #32
2.35 - Jax - Jawaan Taylor (has started every game in 5 years)
2.37 - Car - Greg Little (draft bust traded away for nothing after two seasons)
2.38 - Bills - Cody Ford (started 15 games as rookie, but after injury in 2020 has been a backup)
3.91 - LAC - Trey Pipkins (starting RT for Chargers after 2 years as backup)
3.92 - NYJ - Chuma Edoga (only 13 starts in 1st 4 seasons; now a G w/Dallas)
3.101 - Pats - Yodny Cajuste (five starts due to injuries)

To me this is a list of few and far between.

Some of these I really like, Abe Lucas, Zach Tom, Braxton Jones, Raimann, but all the lack of talent around these guys tells me that those are luck picks (especially as Tom and Jones went so late). Jawaan Taylor obviously isn't with the team that drafted him. Im in Buffalo and you should hear what they say about Spencer Brown up here. Not a good pick. He's considered a turnstile.

This whole list is depressing and has me thinking that it's damn hard to find a good LT outside of the top 15 in the first round.

 

[raduray]

Patricia was a brand new OC. Growing pains should have been expected. Continuity should have been prioritized.

That he elevated someone with no offensive coaching experience to the top of the offensive organization was an incredible gamble that failed. One can only wonder how Nick Caley would have fared.

 

[upstater1]

What does this mean?

Who couldn't confirm it? Confirmation from O'Brien? It's enough to have confirmation from multiple sources. That's how journalism works.

If you don't have that, then why did you continue to speculate?

It's a bizarre sentence to throw into the middle of all of this.

You talked to over a dozen sources working for the Patriots, but not more than one of them said that O'Brien wanted to hire his own guys?

And you speculated on it anyway?

 

[upstater1]

I think this article makes good points (if it is true) about BOB - he could not really do what he wanted to do if he was unable to build the type of staff he wanted. He had to work with Bill and Patricia's leftovers. This coaching staff, at least on offense, sucks. It's a great defensive staff, from DBs to safeties to LBs to DL, but the offensive coaching staff is not great. McDaniels scooped up what little talent was here.

I think it gives you reason to be optimistic if Mayo (or Vrabel?) becomes HC and retains BOB - you have to assume BOB would be allowed to actually make the staff he wants, and several of Josh's guys that he took to Vegas (or even Josh himself) would be available if wanted. I thought BOB's gameplans were generally good, but execution was lacking, which probably falls more on assistant coaches than the OC himself.

Much has been made of Bill's inability to pick the players and build a competent offensive roster, but he's been bad at building a staff too. It gets smaller and smaller as the years go on, he trusts fewer and fewer guys, and the guys he trusts (on offense and ST) largely suck. Love Bill the coach, but his personnel management has simply declined beyond a level I'm willing to accept. I think the only path forward is a new GM and a new HC. Sad to see it but it's unfortunately time.

Someone just posted that the Herald and Callahan tweeted that the part about O'Brien wanting new coaches could not be confirmed.

 

[borg]

I heard it was Ferentz helping Yates.

Ferentz
Brian Hoyer (on a 0-17 heater)

Imagine saying to the owner of your company: I want to hire perhaps the two worst performing employees in their respective fields and not only will I deploy them when necessary but I will also task them to coach up our other workers.

 

[Grogan14]

Seems like a one sided report from “inside sources” who want Bill gone.
2 sides to every story.
If it is accurate, agree Bill should be gone.

Doubt Pats will get a big name coach to replace Bill.
Next year could be ad bad as this one.
If Bill goes, this team is back to a complete and total rebuild.

 

[Hyped]

Comments:

1.) Other than the @Dallas, NO, @Mia, and the KC losses...all of our games were decided by an one score or less margin. 4-8....and the @Mia & KC games were more competitive than the final score margins of 14 and 10 respectively.

2.) By every statistical measure, Patricia's offense was better than BOB's. The only differences being Meyers out for JuJu,
OL injuries/inconsistency early in the year before Onwenu moved outside, addition of Geisicki, re-emergence of Bourne before he was lost for the season, Rham being lost for the last 5 weeks, addition of EE, and a few other tweaks I am forgetting.

3.) If we had played Zappe all year...I think we win the @Raiders game, lose the Bills game, win the Commanders game, win the Colts/Germany game, win the @ Giants game, and beat the Chargers (because Zappe would have had enough reps by then by starting all games)...probably be 8-8 right now with us likely winning on Sunday to finish 9-8 again. My main point being that with a conservative offense...we would still be mathematically alive for the playoffs in week 18.

4.) Trent Brown "checked out" on us in the past and found greener pastures in FA until he underplayed his contract. It is why we were able to resign him a 2nd time.

5.) BB did allow BOB to hire one guy at least? BB has always had the smallest coaching staff in the league...never more than 10 guys.

6.) Coaches coach....players play. Does anyone think that Tom Brady could have coached up Mac Jones? Lay off my main man, Troy Brown!!!

7.) Like Bill Cowher used to say, "There is a FINE line between winning and losing in the NFL". Give the Patriots 2-3 more elite players and things will turn around instantly, IMO.

 

[Ross12]

Someone just posted that the Herald and Callahan tweeted that the part about O'Brien wanting new coaches could not be confirmed.

Well I don't think BOB is going to confirm that he hates the guys he's working with while he's still working with them.

 

[vicspats]

All of these media people who are only relevant because of the success of this team are biting the hand that feeds them. Everyone of them that hasn't made it to a national job will become irrelevant with the tumbling of this franchise when we enter a post BB era.

The Boston media is embarrassing.

 

[vicspats]

Why did 32 franchises pass on him 3 times and 14 franchises pass on him a fourth time?

Cause he is fat

 

[vicspats]

This was a huge oversight from the Patriots, but also all teams. He shouldn't have dropped to the 4th round.

Just as an FYI, 4 close family members died in Jones's family before the draft, including his very close cousin from breast cancer. He was depressed, he didn't meet with teams, he gained an enormous amount of weight. Apparently, he only told the Browns and Eagles what was going on with the deaths, no other teams:

"During the draft process, Jones was not training due to attending multiple funerals and was struggling with the recent deaths of his family members. He didn't want to be around others except his family during that time."

He said when he did interview with teams, he wasn't in shape.

He was fat before all that happened

 

[vicspats]

Of course I do. I also think Brady had lightyears more physical talent and drive than Mac does. It was also a completely different era of football. My fear is Bill is trying to develop quarterbacks based off of the way he did in 2001, 2002, etc instead of the way things are done in 2023. A run first and play defense approach doesn't win in 2023. JAG receivers and patchwork offensive lines don't work in 2023. Bill doesn't know how to evolve and shouldn't be able to ruin another first round QB.


This whole "get ready for years of failure!" by team Bill is pathetic. How do you know we don't find a guy who turns it around and has us as Super Bowl contenders in a few years? Will the next coach win 6 super bowls? I can say with complete certainty the answer is no. Will the next coach be able to muster up more than 4 wins in his third year with a first round quarterback? I would say the odds aren't that bad. So continue clinging to the past and clutching to what is familiar and comfortable. Let's just give Bill a nice open ended contract as a lifetime achievement award. He can coach as long as he likes and string together 4 or 5 win seasons until he gets his beloved record. Then he can retire at 80 and we will throw him a ticker tape parade.

Corky is a big part of the problem. So is the guy that picked him. Both should go. I like Drake Maye and we should do whatever we need to do to move up and get him.

With this defense coupled with high draft picks add to that a **** load of money … you would think an avg coach should get us to the promised land again. That’s why some of us Belichick guys would rather just keep him around… ya see cause he ain’t average !!!

 

[XLIX]

Do we really need an article to explain that Tom Brady is what made this team great, and losing him led to their downfall?

 

[Boomer B]

With this defense coupled with high draft picks add to that a **** load of money … you would think an avg coach should get us to the promised land again. That’s why some of us Belichick guys would rather just keep him around… ya see cause he ain’t average !!!

The issue isn’t his coaching. It’s his drafting and picking his staff that are the issue.

 

[vicspats]

You are absolutely correct, the interior offensive line was in dire need of attention.

I just feel that there should have also some attention to offensive tackle. It doesn't have to be an either/or proposition.

I had not thought or researched what tackles were available to the Patriots over that time frame, but here is what I have found from a brief search. While no All-Pros jump out from the list, there are several solid starters. To be fair there are many JAGs as well - as would be expected when you get deeper in the draft.

Another thing I noticed was that there were many players drafted as tackles who became solid starters at guard. Maybe there shoul be a bit more consideration to that idea; it worked out well with Logan Mankins.


2022: from time Pats had a pick, through 5th round
2.57 - Bucs - Luke Goedeke (started at G in 2022, OT in 2023)
3.69 - Tenn - Nicholas Petit-Frere (starting LT in 2022; now on IR)
3.72 - Seattle - Abe Lucas (started at RT in 2022, most of 2023 on IR)
3.77 - Colts - Bernard Rainham (starting LT since mid-2022)
4.110 - Balt - Daniel Faalele (backup both seasons)
4.111 - Jets - Max Mitchell (has been kicked inside to guard)
4.136 - Cincy - Cordell Volson (moved to LG; 32 starts)
4.140 - GB - Zach Tom (starting RT)
5.145 - KC - Darian Kinnard (demoted to practice squad)
5.155 - Dallas - Matt Waletzko (has been on IR; was backup in 2022)
5.168 - Bears - Braxton Jones (All-Rookie LT in 2022; injured in 2023)

2021: from 2nd round through 5th, as Pats needed to replace Cam Newton at QB in 1st
2.45 - Jax - Walker Little (6 starts as swing tackle 2021-2022; 11 starts in 2023)
3.93 - Bills - Spencer Brown (3-year starter at RT)
4.110 - Browns - James Hudson (13 starts as backup LT/swing tackle)
4.128 - Pittsburgh - Dan Moore (3-year starter at LT)
4.139 - Cincy - D'Ante Smith (swing/backup tackle)
5.151 - Bears - Larry Borom (23 starts as swing/backup OT)
5.155 - 49ers - Jaylon Moore (7 starts as backup LT/swing tackle)
5.161 - Bills - Tommy Doyle (11 games as a rookie, but on IR in 2022 & 2023)

2020: from 2nd round through 5th (Pats traded down from 1st round)
3.96 - KC - Lucas Niang (starting RT as rookie; now a backup)
3.99 - NYG - Matt Peart (6 starts in 1st two seasons, but too many injuries since)
3.106 - Bal - Tyre Phillips (27 starts, mostly at RT; now on IR)
4.126 - Hou - Charlie Heck (starting RT in 2021; backup/swing since)
5.153 - SF - Colton McKivitz (starting RT after 3 seasons as backup)

2019: from 2nd round through 5th (Pats took N'Keaal Harry at #32
2.35 - Jax - Jawaan Taylor (has started every game in 5 years)
2.37 - Car - Greg Little (draft bust traded away for nothing after two seasons)
2.38 - Bills - Cody Ford (started 15 games as rookie, but after injury in 2020 has been a backup)
3.91 - LAC - Trey Pipkins (starting RT for Chargers after 2 years as backup)
3.92 - NYJ - Chuma Edoga (only 13 starts in 1st 4 seasons; now a G w/Dallas)
3.101 - Pats - Yodny Cajuste (five starts due to injuries)

Excellent job !!

 

[vicspats]

Do we really need an article to explain that Tom Brady is what made this team great, and losing him led to their downfall?

I haven’t read that one yet … where could I find it ?

 

[upstater1]

Well I don't think BOB is going to confirm that he hates the guys he's working with while he's still working with them.

That's not what's required for confirmation.

They spoke to over a dozen sources.

They needed just 2 sources to confirm that.

They leave me thinking that either one person or NO person said that to them, and that when they tried to get MORE than one person to confirm it, no one would.

 

[203Pat]

With this defense coupled with high draft picks add to that a **** load of money … you would think an avg coach should get us to the promised land again. That’s why some of us Belichick guys would rather just keep him around… ya see cause he ain’t average !!!

You're right. Without Brady he's below average.

 

[Steve102]

I don't see a way out for him.. what a stark difference it makes when a organization is hoisting Lombardi to just dreaming of one.. when Bill leaves.. I think BOB stays and Mayo allows him to build his own staff..

I guess it'll be up to Mayo if he's the guy. Perhaps Mayo likes someone else better? The new GM would have a say, at least you'd think he would.

Gonna be real interesting starting 1/8 at about 1pm